


The Encyclopedia and the Ensign

by dearoctopuswriting



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: 52 week flash fiction challenge, Android, Bar, Crush, Data - Freeform, Dating, Drabble, Engineering, Enigma - Freeform, Ensign, Enterprise, F/M, Flash Fiction, Flirting, Holodeck, Next Gen, Short, Ten Forward, auxilliary technician, date, dilithium crystals, flirt, gaunt, pub, quiz, trouble with tribbles, warp drive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-20 02:36:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9471611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearoctopuswriting/pseuds/dearoctopuswriting
Summary: Data has an encounter at the Ten Forward pub quiz. A small nugget of Data's unmentioned dating history.





	

I started as an Lieutanant on the Starship Enterprise two weeks ago. I was so honoured that a Commander of all people would notice me. He sometimes visits Engineering where I’m usually based. I’ve had the hots for him for a while, my knees turned to jelly. He was an enigma- the strong, silent type, at least from what I saw of him from a distance. There were occasions where we’d work together, but we didn’t speak much. But his golden eyes fascinated me.

Tonight, me and my friend in Engineering went to the Ten Forward pub quiz. Ten Forward is the ‘local’ bar on the ship, is run by a wise El-Aurian named Guinan. She placed us in his and chief engineer LaForge’s team to make up numbers. My mystery man introduced himself. His name was Data.

I found the chemistry between us was uncanny! He said he liked the name I came up with for our team- The Tribblesome Troubles. (It was supposed to be hilarious, but the word he used was ‘cute’.) He was looking at me all night. 

We talked for ages during the break about dilithium crystals, the warp drive, what it’s like on the bridge before he asked me more about myself. He was a walking encyclopedia!

After we inevitably won the quiz, I finally got him alone. “Hey! Data! I can’t believe we won the quiz!”

“What is unbelieveable about that, Ensign?”

“I’m terrible at pub quizzes usually.”

“But you’re an engineer.”

“I can fix things and I know physics.” I laugh. “It doesn’t mean I can name who won the Gault Colony Cup in 2305.”

“Was that a ‘joke’?”

I burst out laughing, “Shut up! My jokes aren’t that bad!”

He gazed at me for a moment, as if to try and figure out what I meant. I giggle, “That was a joke, too.”

There was a silence, before I asked, “How do you get so good at this?”

“Good at what, Ensign?”

“Quizzes! I mean you know everything!”

“My general knowledge is quite great. But I cannot know everything.”

“But how do you know so much?”

“I am able to recall everything I see and learn with perfect clarity. I am an android.”

Wait, he’s an actual android? For crying out loud, I’m an engineering student, how didn’t I figure that out. “I-I’ve not seen many androids. You’re very convincing… and…”

He waits for me to finish my sentence before asking, “And… what?”

I look into his eyes and say, “Attractive.”

There was a moment of silence before he told me, “I have never experienced this ‘attraction’ that humans feel. Though, objectively, you are what could be considered attractive by human standards.”

I couldn’t believe it. I was asking a machine on a date. What the heck was wrong with me?

“What-“ I stammered, “What are your standards?”

Data thought about it for a moment, before responding, “I don’t know.”

“Do- Do you want to meet with me again? The two of us? On a… date?”

“I do not engage in ‘dates’. But I would like to see you again.”

At that, we arranged a “date” on the Holodeck, and I realised that my passion for machines ran deeper than my work.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the 52 week flash fiction challenge under the word, 'enigma'. Like the enigma I just couldn't figure out how to use this word to make a story. Then I thought about Star Trek. Then I thought. Oh- Data's quite an enigma. I'll make my story about him.
> 
> Originally, the young ensign was trying to figure out his secrets of success, but upon redrafting I decided it'd be best if I make the attraction more of a focus for the story.
> 
> Many thanks to my friend Alex for acting as my beta reader. There is still so much trek I've still to see and know about. She's been my very own Trek encyclopedia!
> 
> If you liked this story, feel free to check out more on my website dearoctopus.wordpress.com and follow me on Twitter (@dearoctopus4) or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dearoctopuswriting/


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